Two people who share a wealth of knowledge and experience are Tony & Diana MacQuillan and they are turning this experience to good use in the form of writing & publishing.

Diana is an experienced genealogist. She hails from two well known Yass families, her parents being Ron Merriman and Barbara Buckmaster. These families are widely connected with many other families in the district by marriage creating a fruitful field for Diana’s interest in Yass family history.

Diana has published two books:

Foreign Lands: A History and Genealogy of the Merriman and Margules Families in Australia (1994 Hardcover)

The Duffs of Yass: An Irish Pioneering Family (2003 Softcover)

Apart from her strong interest in the Yass Historical Society, Diana is currently engaged in expanding her voluminous family data base to include details of her extended families.

Tony is of British colonial origin, born in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). He admits to being a cross between a leprechaun (via his father) and a springbok (via his mother)! He retired from business in 1990 and, following Diana’s inspiration, developed an interest in professional printing and desk top publishing. (He has since added to this with his recent passion for digital photography). He has developed this interest and has assisted Diana and many others with production of their family histories and memoirs.

Tony recently recorded for his progeny, a memoir of his life in Africa and his travels around the globe and with the assistance two other professional writers plans to publish this in 2006. He is also compiling a MacQuillan/Strong family history encompassing Ireland, Africa, England, British India and colonial America. This is ongoing and will be published for family members soon, God willing!